By Staff Writer: Caitlin Daugherty
Being a college student typically means leaving an essay due at the last minute, finding your favorite parking space taken and spending an extra 15 minutes finding a new one, and eating the worst struggle meals to make it through the day. While the first two are standard features of college living, eating unsatisfactory junk food doesn’t have to be.
There are five major food groups for the financially challenged: beans, rice, pasta, canned food, and frozen vegetables. Suppose you eat fast food almost every day because of the convenience. In that case, you can instead meal prep throughout the week. This is not only healthier for you, but your wallet will also thank you, as fast food is quickly becoming as expensive as unhealthy.
You can make a large variety of meals with just five foods. Beans and rice can make an incredibly cheap burrito bowl loaded with things like cheese, ground beef, or chicken for extra protein if you have the budget. Pasta such as spaghetti and macaroni is an essential ingredient in most meals. You can make a college favorite, buttered noodles, or traditional spaghetti and meatballs for dirt cheap.
Canned and frozen vegetables can add greens and fruits to your diet. Canned peaches, pears, cherries, and more can be heated up and added to desserts such as cobblers for a quick sweet treat. Frozen vegetables can be thawed and added to fried rice without much hassle. Being smart with the food you have can guarantee that you won’t go hungry and will teach you two valuable life skills: budgeting with nothing and cooking.
Many people feel ashamed of buying canned and frozen food in bulk, but this is an easy and cheap way to ensure that you eat a balanced diet. Wait for your local grocery store to have a sale on canned food or frozen vegetables, and get as many as your budget allows. These products will not perish quickly, leaving you with many affordable and healthy meal options for the coming weeks. So think twice before ordering Uber Eats again, and buy as many canned beans and bags of minute rice as possible!